CD Install from 10.5.8 to 10.6.1 (MacBook)

Hi friends. I have an installation CD for OSX 10.6.1 (Snow Leopard). I'm currently running 10.5.8 and am trying to upgrade. For some reason, I cannot install from the CD. When I try to run it from the desktop, I get a dialogue that says "Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer" (or something very similar). Furthermore, when I try to boot from the CD, all of my "Utility" options in the menu bar are greyed out.

I read somewhere that one problem might be that my HD needs to be partitioned in order to install 10.6. Well, I partitioned my HD and had the exact same problems as before.

Save for any genius recommendations from you guys, my next line of attack is to do a clean install from 10.6 (i.e., completely wiping my HD). I have an external HD and have backed up all my stuff on there via Time Machine. My questions are these:

Are there any risks involved with this process? (Like, even though I have everything backed up, is there something that I could totally screw up and brick my computer?)

Also, when I go to restore my stuff from my external HD, should I go through the migration assistant that pops up when you first install a new OS? Or should I just copy/paste all my stuff to where I want it? Would there be any potential issues because my backup was for 10.5.8, but I would be migrating to 10.6?

Hi friends. I have an installation CD for OSX 10.6.1 (Snow Leopard). I'm currently running 10.5.8 and am trying to upgrade. For some reason, I cannot install from the CD. When I try to run it from the desktop, I get a dialogue that says "Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer" (or something very similar). Furthermore, when I try to boot from the CD, all of my "Utility" options in the menu bar are greyed out.

I read somewhere that one problem might be that my HD needs to be partitioned in order to install 10.6. Well, I partitioned my HD and had the exact same problems as before.

Save for any genius recommendations from you guys, my next line of attack is to do a clean install from 10.6 (i.e., completely wiping my HD). I have an external HD and have backed up all my stuff on there via Time Machine. My questions are these:

Are there any risks involved with this process? (Like, even though I have everything backed up, is there something that I could totally screw up and brick my computer?)

Also, when I go to restore my stuff from my external HD, should I go through the migration assistant that pops up when you first install a new OS? Or should I just copy/paste all my stuff to where I want it? Would there be any potential issues because my backup was for 10.5.8, but I would be migrating to 10.6?

Any comments, insights, or answers would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the Forums

The best advice I can give is:
1) Don't erase your current OS until you know you can update successfully
2) This question/issue has come up many many many times on this forum. I have personally responded to at least five different threads in the last week similar to yours. Please use the search function and read the threads that have already been posted. If you still need help after that, post back with questions

I've always wanted to be smart, handsome and modest. But, I guess I'll have to be satisfied with two out of three . . .

I am having the same problem, and have been searching through the threads. I cannot find a fix. I dont have the installation disk that came with the computer, and need to wipe it. i have backed the drive with an external hard drive...

To both of the posters with these problems: I find it absolutely remarkable that neither one of you mentioned the make of the computer involved. I'm wondering if that's not the issue, particularly given the error message.